9 Things You Need To Do on a Day Trip to Beautiful Strasbourg France
Strasbourg France is a city that I’ve often thought of visiting.
But I just haven’t made it to that piece of Europe.
Until this year.
So while traveling with friends in Germany — specifically the Black Forest area — we decided we were close enough to make a day trip to Strasbourg.
And, boy, I am so happy we did!
Strasbourg is amazing.
So let’s dive into a few things you can do on a day trip to Strasbourg
PS I think I’d recommend staying a few nights!
Where exactly is Strasbourg France?
Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region of Eastern France.
This is the historical region of Alsace and is still often referred to as Alsace.
Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parliament.
It sits at the border with Germany along the Rhine River.
This region historically went back and forth between Germany and France.
So…
What makes Strasbourg unique?
Because Alsace, and thus Strasbourg, went back and forth between Germany and France, it has a bit of both of these cultures.
Strasbourg is kind of the bridge between these countries and cultures.
Secondly, Strasbourg’s historic city center, the Grande Île (Grand Island), is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It was added to that prestigious list in 1988.
The newer “Neustadt” was added more recently, in 2017.
You know me — I love UNESCO sites!
Lastly, as I mentioned above, Strasbourg is the seat of the European Parliament.
So it’s definitely a very European destination.
What are the 9 things you need to do on a day trip to Strasbourg?
Get a croissant or a pain au chocolat as soon as you arrive
Especially if you are coming from Germany like we were.
Popping into a boulangerie or pâtisserie to have a French breakfast treat starts your visit to Strasbourg off on the right pied (foot).
For us, it was like, “We’re in France!”
Not that we weren’t loving Germany.
Because we were and I certainly came to love Germany.
But the moment we walked out of the train station, it just felt decidedly different.
And we relished it!
Stop and smell the flowers at a flower shop / florist
There are a few florists around who had their beautiful, colorful flowers on display outside and inside their shops.
We just had to stop and take in the colors and smells.
We took some pics.
And we explored inside.
It’s always good to stop and admire the beauty while in Strasbourg.
Ride the carousel (merry-go-round) at Place Gutenberg
Full disclosure — I didn’t ride the carousel.
However, my friend, Mindy, was all over it.
So Bill, her husband, and I watched as Mindy gleefully went round and round with 4, 5 and 6 year olds.
Bill and I took photos and video and laughed as Mindy blew us kisses as she came around.
Admittedly, it was fun for me watching her have so much fun!
Wander about Petit-France
One of the main tourist draws of Strasbourg France is the area known as Petit-France.
This is part of the historic center that is filled with timbered houses that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
It’s where the fishermen, millers and tanners lived and worked.
The streets are built level with the waterways.
And you’ll notice the sloping roofs which open onto lofts where the tanners would dry the hides of the animals.
It’s definitely a touristy area but it’s sooooo beautiful and picturesque.
If possible, go early or late to avoid the crowds.
Or out of season 🙂
Visit Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg
The other main tourist attraction is the magnificent Cathedral — Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg.
Construction of this grand religious building began in 1015.
It started as a Romanesque cathedral and only the crypt and footprint remain of this part.
The cathedral was ultimately completed, in Gothic style, in 1439 with the spire being the last piece to be finished.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg’s interior is impressive with its height of 142m/466ft.
For 227 years — from 1647 to 1874 — it was the tallest building in the world.
It is now the 6th tallest church in the world.
And, get this, today it’s the tallest surviving structure built entirely in the Middle Ages.
Wow!
The stained glass windows are gorgeous, especially the rose window.
I think I missed the ginormous organ which sits high up on the north wall.
But I didn’t miss the Renaissance astronomical clock.
The present day clock dates back to 1842 although there were clocks in this spot as far back as 1354.
It’s spectacular!
However, opposite the clock is a stained glass window that will astound you.
This window is of Jesus’ face.
But look closer.
And you see that his face is made up of many faces of people — all kinds of people — men, women, children, young, old.
There are 150 anonymous faces.
It’s extraordinary.
My regret is that I didn’t take more time exploring the exterior of this grand building.
There are a LOT of sculptures to admire.
I guess that means I need to go back to Strasbourg!
Eat a Flammekueche, Flammkuchen, or tarte flambée, at Le Gruber (with some Alsatian wine)
I know this restaurant in the heart of Strasbourg and close to the cathedral might be a bit touristy.
But we had a good lunch here.
It was fun to sit outside along the narrow pedestrian way and watch all the people go by.
A Flammekueche or a tarte flambée is really a version of pizza.
Flammekueche translates into “pie baked in flames”.
So this thin piece of dough is baked — in a wood fire — then typically topped with a local white cheese, onions and fatty bacon.
But you can get whatever toppings you want in a modern version.
We each had a different version and I think we were all happy with the food.
Of course, we had a lovely bottle of Alsatian wine to go with it.
And we were feeling the need for a wee bit of salad.
I recommend Le Gruber for your flammekueche fix!
Sample and buy wine at Le Comptoir des Vignerons Alsaciens
As we were winding down our time in Strasbourg, sadly I might add, we popped into a wine shop.
Le Comptoir des Vignerons Alsaciens might be the best wine shop in Strasbourg.
They specialize just in Alsatian wines.
So if you are looking for a French Burgundy or Bordeaux, then this is not the wine shop for you.
However, if you want to sample and buy a delightful Alsatian wine, then you’ll want to visit Le Comptoir des Vignerons Alsaciens.
They work with 75 independent wine growers in the Alsace area.
And when we stopped in, there were 2 ladies — mother and daughter — from one such winery.
We were able to sample a couple of wines and yes, we bought one of their delicious wines.
If you’re a wine lover then be sure to visit Le Comptoir des Vignerons Alsaciens.
Visit some of the other churches
There are more churches beside the grand cathedral.
We popped into St Thomas, a Protestant church, simply because we were walking by it.
We looked around.
It was a beautiful church — simpler than the cathedral.
Some other churches in the city center that might be worth a look-see are Église Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune and Église Protestante Saint-Pierre le Vieux.
Meander the streets, enjoy the music, pop into a shop, walk along the water
One of the best things to do in Strasbourg is simply to wander about.
There are places where you can walk along the river or down some of the narrow pedestrian lanes.
You may hear some musicians out on the streets playing or singing.
There are a plethora of shops to buy souvenirs.
Some are kitschy and very touristy.
But there are others that have genuine local crafts or food … or wine!
There are some nice cheese shops for sure.
It’s a small enough city that you won’t get too lost.
And wandering about a city is a wonderful way to experience it all — the touristy side and the local side.
There are the 9 things you need to do on a day trip to Strasbourg France
I really fell for this city.
And you know me — I’m not much of a city person.
But I think Strasbourg is amazing.
There’s a lot to do, see and experience here.
You can certainly hit the highlights in a day trip.
There were quite a few tour groups coming off of Rhine River cruises doing just this.
I’d like to experience Strasbourg in the evenings when the day trippers and boat people have gone away.
Or maybe first thing in the morning when the city is just waking up.
I’m betting it’s quite lovely at those times of day — a little less busy and filled with tourists.
So…
You can make the decision of whether to add it for a day trip OR…
Maybe you stay a few nights and get to know Strasbourg better and at a less hectic pace.
Either way, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful city in eastern France!
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